Cool is an overused word. It’s such an easily assigned tag that it’s too often applied to items, places and events that might be good, but don’t earn “cool.” “Cool” turns heads without demanding attention. “Cool” inspires without demanding envy. “Cool” doesn’t care what you think and doesn’t worry about what the other guy does. “Cool” doesn’t try too hard. It just gets it right.
Aston Martin is “cool,” and has been for 100 years. To celebrate its anniversary year, the British automotive legend invited a handful of journalist to the UK to document the official commemoration.
Obviously, a centennial made for a busy year for Aston Martin. While continuing to feature the new Vanquish, the company also introduced a new Rapide SS and the CC100 Speedster concept car (below). But, a huge gathering of cars and Aston Martin owners in London marked the big pay-off for 2013.
The glass palace served as a smart backdrop for a company that promotes itself as a symbol of British technological innovation and elite living. The 95-story office and commercial glass tower wrapped up its construction in April of 2012 and opened for the public three weeks before the 2012 Opening Ceremonies. So, as multitudes began piling into London to prepare for the Games, it dominated the skyline and will for years to come.
The Shard packs 72 floors with an enclosed viewing gallery and and an open air observation deck offering a view of London for 40 miles in every direction. An elevator brings visitors 800 ft. up the structure in 30 seconds. The rest of the 1,016 ft. is spire.
You can go on like with the engineering specs for any Aston Martin, and I think that was the point of dining atop 90+ stories of steel and glass. However, the grande finale followed the next day as about 50,000 car lovers and Aston Martin owners gathered in Kensington Gardens to admire an assembled fleet of more than 500 Astons old and new valued overall at more than £1 billion.
Every major Aston Martin road car took a spot along the park — from the ‘A3,’ the oldest surviving version, to the special Vanquish Centenary Edition, the upcoming V12 Vantage S and the Vanquish Volante. The one of a kind CC100 Speedster Concept made its debut earlier this year on the Auto Show circuit, so it had to make a big appearance at Kensington.
Finally, Aston Martin’s top shelf racing performance was on call with the Ulster, the DBR1, DB4 GT Zagato and V8 Vantage GTE.
The gearheads smothered all of the above on an unusually perfect day in London, but the general public was on hand to celebrate Aston Martin’s partnership with 007. Aston Martin has been James Bond’s cinematic car of choice for the best bits of his cinematic run, and his iconic DB5 made famous in Goldfinger and Skyfall.
After the sun went down on Kensington’s tree-lined paths, the fleet of legendary Aston Martins returned to their owners’ homes and corporate garages while VIPs headed out to a luxurious London party. The car lovers who enjoyed the free show no doubt stepped onto the Underground with their heads full of cool British spies and their even cooler super cars.
Rule cool Britannia.
